Insole for shoes



25,P 1950y Y M. sHAPlRo l 2,505,508

INSOLE FOR sHoEs Filed Jan. 15, 194e' INVENTOR atented Apr... 25, 1950iJITED STATES OFFICE 1 Claim.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved insole adapted tobe built into a shoe as an integral part thereof, or the insole may beused as a separate article to be placed within a shoe upon the regularinsole thereof.

The insole according to this invention is characterized by the provisionof means for holding the metatarsal and tarsal bones in their naturalpositions and allows the metatarso-phalangeal joints to drop gently andnaturally under weight bearing into a resilient cushion insole portionwhereby shocks and irritation are avoided or alleviated, and whereby thenatural functions of the bones and ligaments of the foot are given freeplay and the muscles of the foot will be strengthened. Other objects andfeatures of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter.

Accordingly the invention is embodied in an insole constructed anddesigned as hereinafter set forth and as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which Fig. l is a phantom diagrammatic view showing theinsole in longitudinal section in position with relation to the foot andthe shoe, the latter and the foot being shown in simple outline with thebones of the foot.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the insole.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. l throughthe foreward part of the insole.

Fig. 4 is a similar view on the line d-t of Fig. 1 through the shankportion of the insole.

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view through the heel portion of the insoleon the line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 1 the shoe is indicated by the outline l. The foot isrepresented by the outline l. The bones of the foot are shown in outlinein substantially correct anatomical relation. The insole aocording tothis invention consists of a relativeli7 hard portion 3 and a relativelysofter portion 9, the two portions forming a one piece insole. The rearportion 3 is formed with a heel seat I [l from which extends upwardly aheel surrounding cupping wall IIl The object of this formation is toprovide a rm heel gripping portion or heel cup to keep the adipose (fat)pad underneath the heel bone I2 confined and restricted to its naturalposition whereby to prevent the adipose tissues from spreading or beingpushed aside outwardly to the sides of the heel. The heel cupping wallis designed to retain the natural contour of the heel at the back andthe sides of the heel bone I2 as indicated by the dotted line I3 whichillustrates the upper side edge of the heel cup formation and whichslopes gently forward and merges with the shank I4 of the insole. Whenthe adipose tissues are pushed aside or spread, the heel bone will pressdirectly down upon the underlying skin and caire sensitivity and pain,When the heel in its entirety is rmly held by the heel cup as hereinprovided in the natural position of the heel, the foot is prevented fromsliding forward in the shoe and the adipose heel pad is confined to itsnatural position.

The insole is curved upward and around the heel and the sides of thefoot to a point just behind the heads of the rst and fth metatarsalbones, I5 and I 6 respectively, so that there are no sharp edges toirritate the soft tissues of the plantar (bottom) surface of the foot.The curvature of the sides of the insole conforms to the form of thefoot and merges with the shank portion I4 as shown at II in Fig. 4 onthe medial side of the foot. The portion of the insole which liesunderneath the longitudinal arch of the foot is shaped to conform to thenatural contour of the foot arch which is composed of the tarsal andmetatarsal bones. Thus there is no space between the arch of the footand the shank of the insole such as may be found in ordinary shoes.Inasmuch as the rear portion of the foot from the metatarsal heads totheheel bone requires a firm support, the rear portion of the insoleincluding the shank portion, that is the portions 8 and I4 respectively,are made of a relatively hard or rm material, for example cork or othermoldable substance may be used. Such substances or material are soldunder different trade names and are characterized by being resilient oryielding to only a very limited degree.

The forefoot portion Q of the insole lies under the metatarso-phalangealjoints and the phalanges (toe bones). It extends forwardly of theterse-metatarsal portions of the insole. The greater part of footdisturbances and foot troubles occur in the metatarso-phalangeal area(the for ward portion of the foot) because the only freely movablejoints of the foot are the metatarsophalangeal joints and theinterphalangeal joints. For these reasons, these joints according tothis invention, rest upon an uninterrupted resilient yielding support,namely the forward insole portion 9 instead of upon a relatively hardsurface having distinctly defined sharp perimetral edges such as arefound in ordinary shoes. An uninterrupted yielding insole support underthis portion of the foot permits a natural movement of the bones of thefoot and prevents corns, calluses V'and other growths under thesejoints, particularly under the first and fth metatarso-phalangeal jointsand the interphalangeal joints of the rst digit (toe) and the externallateral side of the fth digit (toe) which otherwise usually extend overor ride over the perimetral edges of the ordinary insole.

The shank portion I4 connects the heel portion with the toe portion ofthe insole. The portion I4 is integral with the heel seat portion liland the joint between the two insole portions 8 and 9 is curvedforwardly as shown by thev lines 20, 2|l to conform to the plantaraspects of the shafts of the metatarsal bones. The joining surface 2g isrearwardly inclined and by reason of itscurvature, strain and fatigue ofthe tissues connecting the bones of the metatarsal area, are prevented.The joint between the portions 8 and 9 'may be made in any suitablemanner by any suitable joining means such as adhesive. The forwardportion 9 is made of a resiliently yielding`rna- Ater/iai, for example,nitrogen gas-lled cellular rubber Vmay i be used.`

j" Yhe(dimensions' of' the insole, vparticularlyE'of ftheportion 9, areksuch' that' jthe insole extends j' beyondjthe outlines"oithe footsojtl'iaty under vweight bearing allV themetatarsoephalangeal fjoints"settle 'down inA the same planeupvon` the lgresilient support 9" and"l'the irst and `the fth L"metatarso-phalangeal 'joints arei Yaiordedvspace n forn natural movements and are' not'V pushed linto it' njpperplane. The relation between the insole ndthe'upper `of thef'shoe `isshown inv lig.I 3 whereytheupperY is indicated at 25fand the insoleJudges-w25 'entend clear tothe upper' `and thereforeVrbzyondftheperimetral outline `of the foot. l

A, rlineinsoleaccording to thisinvention is vcharginte'rized` by the'vproperty'of holding (and support- Ag'1 ;lf1e A metatarsal shafts intheir 'normal posin'srwithout employing upwardfpres'siire andfal-(w'ythe metatars'mphalangeal' joints 'y to' drop gently into'a' yieldingresiliehtcushion 9v oifcellu.-

arf'rubbefor 'like' snbst'ance'thereby alleviating hooks and: irritationtothe bones involved.` Durng the natural function of thebonesQf the'footnder lweighty bearing, thephalang'es, resting'on fsupport andtherebystrengthen the'muscl'es'of *'thefoot l Asf illustrated in Fig. 1the' insole laccording' to thisivention isnot intended asv asole"element 4 to be placed within a finished shoe in the manner in whichseparate loose insoles or foot supports are customarily placed within ashoe. The reason for not using the herein disclosed insole as a separateloose insole is that thereby the vertical available space for the footwithin the shoe is diminished and hence the full comfort of the insoleelement as an integral part of the shoe is not realized as planned.

. I'Claim? An inner sole for a shoe consisting of a heel and archsupporting section of mildly yielding material having its forwardportion terminating in a forwardly and downwardly inclined curved edge,

a forward ball and toe section of soft yielding ma- "trial terminatingin a rear portion having a rear- Wardly"and-*upwardly inclined edgecomplementary to and matching the said edge of the heel andarchsupporting section, adhesive applied to the said two edges to join thesaid two sections to for'mfaninner'sole for afsh'oe, said `heeland archsupporting' section *being curved longitudinally and transversely andextending"under` andfin co'm'plete'contact' with the plantar aspectsofthe 'l heel bone andy inid-ftars'all bones of' vthe foot,N said balland'toe sectionV extending under the'metaabutment with'the` sides oftheshoe upper, said joined edges being curved laterally in conformity'with'the plantar aspects of the rnetatarsaly pha- `"langeal joints oftheoot.V

l 'leof "this patent:

heresilientfsurface.will grip into'the resilient .1.'

UNITED STATES PATENTS WNumber Name Date 833,120 Buell f Oct. 9', 19,051,926,683 Miller Q Sept. 12, 119,33 2,018,710 Elkin l loct, 29, 19352,130,968 SeWall Sept. 20, 1.938

FOREIGN PATENTS Number A Country t yDate 534,445 ,Germany Sept'. l0,1931 589,485 'Germany Nov; 23,1933

